Horizon: Zero Dawn A seeker of the Past
by jebcallaway
Summary: Within the safety of the Sacred lands four Nora braves are forced to confront the dangers of an ever changing world before them. When men clad in red begin to raid outlying settlements, the Braves must rise to a threat unlike any they have faced before.
1. Prologue

Prolouge

The sound of the bellowing beast echoed even through the ear shattering roar of the collapsing rock and the slide of falling snow and ice. Jobe winced as the wire of a tripcaster bit deep into his forearm causing a large flow of blood to slowly soak the leather tunic he wore under his furs. From this a growl of pain came from past his lips as he held onto the strap of the young fair haired woman's harness. Her howls of pain becoming more and more audible as the sound of the avalanche subsided.

He let out a few long breaths, the clouds of vapor rolling past his lips and were lost in the white haze of the clouds of ice. Shards of ice within the cloud burned the areas on either side of his head that had been shaved down. His lungs burnt from the sheer exertion on his part, in the sudden panic and chaos of what had occurred he hadn't realized just how much he nearly panicked. He closed his eyes and looked down as he grunted, the woman's hands were now covered in blood as she held them to her face, both coated in deeply red strands of blood that fell off her hands and face as they swung back and forth. She continued to howl wildly, her legs kicking slightly. "Rikke! Rikke you must calm yourself!" He cried down to her.

Jobe let out a grunt as the cable continued to bite deeper into his flesh. He wondered if any of the other prospective braves were still alive, had they all died? He'd seen at least two that were undoubtedly gone, both caught within the first volley of the cyan bolts the great war beast had unleashed upon them. He wondered if it was even safe to yell out, the risk of causing another avalanche flashed across his thoughts, a second would kill them both to be sure. His thoughts came to the conclusion soon after that if he did nothing, there and now, Rikke would die most certainly, he very likely.

"Hello!? Sona! Nima! We are still alive! Help us, great mother if you can hear us, please! Please help us!" He shouted with as much of a voice he could muster. His voice echoed off the walls of the ridge loudly enough that if any still survived, they would hear him, at least it was his hope. He looked down once more at the ailing woman "Don't give up on me Rikke, you are Nora! It is not yet your time to be with the great mother." He grunted as again the cable tore into his flesh a bit deeper with a pop. Jobe growled with pain as he listed the the cries of panic and pain slow into hefty breathes and loud sobs.

Jobe let out a sigh as he felt the kicking below him stop. The fair haired woman simply hung there, panting, sobbing, still clutching her face. The young raven haired man winced as the muscles in his arms that grasped Rikke started to cramp. He pulled a bit to loop his fingers a bit deeper into the strap. "Great Mother, please.." He let his voice out in a private tone "..not like this, please not like this." he let out a huff and turned towards where he knew the heart of the mountain was. A soft tone came from his lips. "..please."


	2. Chapter 1 The First Hunt

Chapter 1

"The First Hunt"

Rikke found herself pressed down against the earth, the cool sensation of the early spring passed even through her tunic as she listened. She felt the vibrations of almost a dozen tall machines using their antlers to work the ground a dozen or so meters away. It was a constant low vibration that passed up into her chest, broken only as the footsteps of the slow moving steps of a chittering machine that passed only a few meters from her. She couldn't help but to smile as the slender bodied watcher made a few chirps as it raised it's head, dutifully guarding its herd. As she looked to her right she watched as the teenaged boy, Jobe smile back at her.

As the machine moved on, both slowly moved onto their knees to look out over the herd of grazers and softly whispered to one another. "Amazing.." Rikke said with wonder as she let out a chuckle. "So small they are and yet so brave, the don't hesitate, they don't shrink from their duty."

Jobe nodded and smiled "They care for their herds, alert them so they can escape." The slender boy turned his attention back to Rikke with a smirk. He might have said more, but a firm hand came to his shoulder, from the corner of his hazel eyes, he spied the muscular woman Tia, their guide for the day.

Tia was an older woman, she'd seen well over forty seasons. Already the grey was bleeding into what was otherwise a thick mane of brown braids and thick locks, all pulled back into a long bundle that hung down back over the furred collar of her cuirass. She spoke with a soft whisper, crouching between the duo. "You can learn much from the watchers. A brave worth is or her salt should be alert, selfless and as fierce as any watcher."

Rikke quirked a brow as she looked over at Tia. Surely they were dutiful, but fierce? Rikke had to look back at the long necked sentinel. She had never been so close to one, creatures such as scrapers, she'd heard of their reputation, even broadheads were considered dangerous, but these small machines made Rikke wonder. "Surely you joke Tia, it is so small, is it not just to alert the others?"

Tia's gaze turned to Rikke, instantly the teenage girl felt as if she wanted to lower herself back down to the ground. She spoke with with a firm retort "You are young and only been out on a few hunting ventures, Watchers are small and more often opt to run, but they can and will stand to fight a hunter if they see no other choice." She gestured towards watcher as it continued on it's path down a small hill from them. "If they must, they hurl themselves at a threat and when they do decide to fight, those too far from the fight will launch bolts of light, much like a scrapper will do at range." Rikke turned her eyes down as the foolishness of her words seemed to catch up with her. "Don't fret little hunter, one only learns in this way." The older woman gave a small chuckle herself. "Ready your bows, we will deal with this lot."

Rikke smirked as she pulled the newly crafted bow from her shoulder. She couldn't help but to look it over, smiling at at the craftsmanship that had gone into it. Some several months had gone into its construction. Finding the proper materials to make a sturdy limbs, shaving down a proper grip, even trading a month's worth of cured boar meat for a proper draw cable. She pulled an arrow from her quiver at her hip and kept low, turning her head towards Tia and waited for what she was to do next.

Tia slipped past the two of them to a tree and spoke to them with a hushed tone. "I will get it's attention. When it turns its head this way, loose an arrow into the center of its eye Rikke. Jobe, you will do the same if the first shot does not down the machine in the first hit. If it spots us, it will alert the herd and its other watchers." She picked up a rock from the ground and tossed it up a few times to catch it. "If they attack, the two of you will run for higher ground and wait for me."

"Tia, we will help you if they attack we w.." Jobe was cut off by a stern snap from the older woman.

"You will not! You will do as I say boy, I will have an easier time against watchers without two fledgling hunters to watch over while I fight." She gave Jobe and Rikke a stern look "You will tell me you understand or your lessons end now." The finality in her voice made Rikke swallow a bit. Tia was a skilled hunter and a brave of reputation. She was known as a savage fighter, Rikke had seen her on more than one occasion smash a drunken male Nora, twice her size into the side of a lodge with such force that his entire body had gone limp the instant he hit. Rikke couldn't help but to nod. Tia replied with a curt nod "Alright then, ready yourselves."

Rikke and Jobe moved themselves down the hill as Tia had instructed them in the previous weeks leading up to their first machine hunt. Rikke crouched, taking one knee to the ground for stability the other she kept poised as she used a large bolder for cover. Keeping her silhouette out of sight, she turned her attention to Jobe. She smirked as she watched the older boy take a position against a bundle of overgrown trees that had fallen some time ago. Rikke took stock of the young man as he moved to prepare his shot. She noted how his arms had grown in size since she'd met him two years ago. How the skinny boy was developing into a toned young man. When she had met him, he had been shorter than her, now he cleared her by a fraction of a meter. He'd turned into twice the shot she had been as well.

When it came to people she wanted on her flank when it came to hunts like this, Jobe was one of only a few that she wanted from the other young hunters. She took her eyes away and looked down at the watcher, it had started back up the hill, she watched as its head came back under the shade of the canopy. It's glowing blue oculus becoming the most distinguished feature as it stepped out of the midday's light. She slid her fingers back along the fletch of the arrow pulled the string back and waited. A moment later, the sound of a rock tumbling along in the weeds between her and the watcher caused the watcher's head to instantly pop up. It's oculus shifted to a fiery orange glow. It lowered its head as its once passive chortles became wary clicks and low rumbles. It scanned the lower underbrush with its single eye, slowly creeping towards where the rock had fallen. Rikke took in a breath as she fully drew back the wire and waited as it's eye lifted slightly and snapped from left to right. As it started to move back towards center, it let out a grumble, Rikke let out her breath with a huff as she released the cable and sent the arrow towards the metal beast.

The creature's head snapped back as a shower of spark erupted from the sight of impact. It's oculus shifted to a shade of red as it whipped its head from side to side. Rikke looked on in frustration as the arrow had missed its mark, perhaps by a margin of an inch or so. It's lens was cracked, however the creature was still alive. Jobe huffed a few feet from her as he released his arrow as well. His flew towards the creature's head, however as it spun around, seemingly in pain, his arrow managed only to lance through the cables that made up it's neck. Sparks came ushering out from the watcher's neck as it suffered a second wound but it did not go down. Rikke cursed under her breath as she prepared a second arrow as she hoped to finish it with a third and final shot. It however hopped and whipped his head down low to the ground, her second arrow flying over it's head as it let out an angry call, several more calls answered in an angry chorus. Rikke cut her eyes back towards Tia who was already breaking from cover.

In the time it took for Rikke to witness the watcher alert it's pack to the point where she had turned her head, Tia had closed more than half the distance between the watcher. As she rose to her feet to start her retreat, the older woman was already sliding along the ground, bow in hand. As she fired, two arrows snapped into the side of the now alerted watcher. A loud pop came from it's head as a shower of sparks and bright blue arc came from it's skull. It stumbled with only a few steps before it tumbled all the way over, it's legs kicking several times before it became entirely still. Rikke stood in awe of Tia's movement, no wasted motion, two arrows in a single shot. She watched as the woman effortlessly pulled two arrows from her hip quiver and knocked them. Rikke turned her head toward the East as two watchers came running over the hill, their eyes focused on Tia entirely, the sound of the grazers rumbling away from danger echoed out from the direction the two machines had come from. Rikke watched as one slid to a stop a good six or seven meters back from her position as the other charged directly at her. Rikke started to reach for an arrow from her own quiver, but was stopped abruptly.

Jobe pulled on her shoulder with a heavy tug "No! Tia said to fall back, that is what we will do." He let his hand go from her shoulder as he began to move back towards the ridge behind them. Rikke turned towards him of course, but failed to move, turning back toward Tia she froze in place. She winced as the thought of leaving her elder outnumbered when they could have clearly helped flooded her thoughts, however as Jobe shouted her name. "Rikke! Follow!" she moved. The two moved in unison in a direct sprint and headed for a small rockwall cut into the foothills. Jobe and Rikke both scaled the three meter tall cliff and moved behind the safety of a large series of rocks.

As the duo reached the rocks, a series of loud pulses and bright flashes came from where they had left Tia behind. Rikke peered over the rocks, looking down as the proven Brave artfully bounded away as golden orbs of light smashed into the ground where she had stood only moments before. No sooner than Tia had landed, the closer of the two watchers came sailing through the air at her. It's human sized frame smashed against the dark haired woman as it let out an aggressive rumble at her. Rikke half expected Tia to land sprawled out on her back, but as she sailed backwards, she tucked her left arm in close and moved into a roll as she impacted the earth. No sooner had she landed and rolled, she was back onto her feet, moving towards the closer of the two watchers. Her hands slid down the shaft of her spear as she spun it out at the watcher's body. Rikke watched with keen interest, the impact returned the favor of knocking Tia off her feet. However the watcher did not gracefully right itself as it landed, rather it hit the ground on it's side, Rikke's eyes turned to Tia as she wasted not a single motion, using the follow through of her spear's first arc to thrust it down into the fallen watcher's side. The machine let out a wail and kicked as it's oculus' light blinked a few times before going out all together.

The third watcher loose another series of loud pulses and sent another volley of orbs towards Tia. Tia was swift enough grasp her spear and pull it free of the dead watcher as the volley hit. Rikke's eyes went wide, it came to her at once that a single impact from such an orb would cause great injury, she now realized the graveness of what Tia had said moments before. She moved to knock an arrow only to find Jobe's hand upon her shoulder once again. "No Rikke, we can't, Tia said."

Rikke snapped back to Jobe "There is only a single one left and our tribesman is in peril. No Nora worth her salt would…" Jobe was quick to cut her off.

"No Nora would dare to disobey their Elder while training, Rikke if she says to remain away, it is for a good reason, we must.." Rikke use her free hand to shove Jobe's hand away.

"You stay then!" She said not another word, but lept down from her perch from behind the rocks. Jobe all the while calling out her name.

"Rikke! RIKKE!"

The fair haired teenager ran back down the hill, her arrow still knocked. She had no spear, not like a proper brave or hunter would. She was armed with a bow, a bow and perhaps her wit. She slid herself down a steep decline in the hillside. She knew that if she could get to the watcher's flank, a single arrow shot to it's body would be enough for it to turn its attention from her elder, giving the vastly more adept Tia a chance to close the gap and land a killing blow.

" _Was it not the Nora way to help one another?"_ She wondered. She slid down the embankment, picking up speed more speed than she had counted on, in her haste she'd given herself too much momentum. At the base of the embankment a series of large rocks laid strewn about, as she put out her left foot to arrest her momentum she felt a pop and a bit of a crunch, a hot pain shot up her ankle. She let out a growling grunt of pain, that however quickly gave way to a cry of alert as even with her attempt to slow herself she still had enough downward inertia to send her into a tumble over the rocks.

She came down with a loud thud, landing on her chest, nearly hard enough to take the wind out of her. She let out a cough as she inhaled a fair bit of dust into her mouth and nose. She spat and pushed herself up, despite the pain in her ankle and now in her side as well. As she looked up Tia moved, darting between trees in an attempt to make her way to the watcher. Rikke took a few breaths as she collected her bow and knocked a new arrow, the previous one missing. As she drew back the cable she winced, her vision barely able to focus. She bit her lower lip and let the arrow loose. As she expected, the arrow lanced into the watcher's side. It's head quickly craned around and focused it's red oculus on her. As she moved to reach for a new arrow, the pain in her left side became far greater. A stabbing pain shot through her left side which made her wonder if perhaps she had broken a rib in her fall. As she attempted to fight through the pain, she shuddered and ignored the sounds of Tia bringing death to the watcher. She looked down to where the pain in her side seemed to radiate from, finding it harder and harder to take in breath. To Rikke's surprise, she saw the source of her pain. The missing arrow rested lodged between her ribs, the broken shaft of ridgewood now dripping with blood. Her brow shot up in surprise as she dropped her bow and placed a hand near where the arrow had impaled her. It caused such pain she could barely take in a shallow breath between her clenched teeth.

She pulled her hand away, her normally pale skin barely showing through, now covered in her own blood. She huffed a few times as she found herself struggling to take in even shallow breaths. Panic swiftly set in as she reached out for the elder woman that was already running to her side. An unstable feeling overtook her senses, slowly she began to lay herself back and might have reached the ground if not for Tia's firm grasp upon her hand. Strength left her as her heartbeat pounded in her head. She looked upwards towards Tia with an expression of remorse "I...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm…..sorry"

Tia cradled her gently hoisting her upwards "Shh now child, you lot are meant to be foolish, we'll get you fixed...all mother will help us heal you, don't you fret." Rikke felt herself being carried a fair distance to where she could hear Jobe calling her name. She felt it harder to keep her eyes open. Only fragments of words now slipped into her ears "...in shock, gather her things boy, we will…" and his words soon after at a point where she could tell they were moving once again "..kke, don't die, it is not your time to be with all mother, you hear me girl? Stay here...please, please stay."


	3. Chapter 2 A Lesson Learned

Like some horrid dream, Rikke stood poised as the figure of the great mother shielded her mountain from the massive form that was the metal devil. She watched as its massive metal arms came crashing down on the mother. Its massive frame wreathed in red flames calling out horrid blasphemies down upon her. Rikke stood there in a simple tunic her arms bare, she could feel the heat of fire and scorching winds blast past her, feeling as if it threatened to peel her flesh back off her body. She looked about behind her, able to turn her head away for a brief moment at the sacred lands. Barren, scorched down to the soil, nothing but bare rock and fire. She dared to turn her head back towards the mountain, a massive squall of hot air nearly knocked her from her feet, sending her long fair colored braids whipping out behind her. She held hand out in front of her face, between the dust and heat she could barely stand to open her eyes. She slowly lifted her chin and looked out towards a pale green light that began to grow, even as the horrid red glow of the metal devil seemed to devour the mountain itself. She called out with every bit of air in her lungs she could muster, calling for the all mother as the light grew in power and intensity. She watched as the mother pulled forth an elegant spear unlike any she had ever seen. The massive deity turned her eyes of endless compassion toward Rikke, as if she were looking directly at her. All the pain in that instant seemed to stop, the unbearable heat turned into a gentle warmth. She smiled and spoke with a soft motherly voice "Do not worry child, you are safe, do not worry….child." The light of the great mother became too bright for Rikke to bare, she looked away, hearing the soft voice echo in her head over and over again " _don't worry child, you are safe"._

Rikkes eyes opened with a start, taking in a deep gasp that caused severe pain along her left side. A warm hand came to her shoulder, pressing her down with a gentle force she was unable to fight against. Her vision blurred, yet the gruff yet friendly tone she knew all too well came into her ears. "Rest child, don't strain yourself, the Matriarch is still tending to you, you foolish girl." A deep sadness filled his voice, along with a great deal of concern. The voice belonged to Quinn, a brave of some esteem among the Nora, though most notable to Rikke was the fact that Quinn was her father.

Rikke relented as the tremble in his voice as he chastised her made it evident he barely kept his composure as he spoke. She felt the soft hands of another tending to her side, a gentle set of hands that dripped a warmed salve over her injured side. She slowly opened her eyes a bit more, the warm light of a lodge's fire pit filled the domicile with a comforting ambiance. She craned her head to her right, looking at the massive figure of her father sitting beside her, his eyes puffy and bloodshot. It was clear, he'd been shedding tears, something she'd not seen him do since the day brother had passed. Quinn was a man roughly around Tia's age, he'd seen a fair share of battles in his time, his thick arms gave telling evidence of such facts with the patchwork of scars that littered them. His blonde hair was cut short, not allowing for braids, his beard however was long enough to support they stylings of the Nora. His green eyes came down upon her, his thin lips curling into a pained smile. "Be calm foolish girl, my…..foolish, foolish girl."

Rikke found it hard to breathe, though not from the injury, she fought back tears as she watched her father's eyes begin to flow freely. Rikke started to slowly raise a hand to touch her father's arm, she found it gently intercepted. Quinn moved to one side as dark haired woman moved into his place, giving a gentle squeeze to her hand. Her features were soft and unmarred by the elements. The rough fingers of a tribal stitcher left no question to who it was, her mother Aria. She felt another hand gently run across her brow as a voice choked with sadness kindly attempted to rebuke her father's empty chastisement "Enough of that now…" she said with no reprimand whatsoever in her voice. "Rikke, my little glowfly...you are safe. Matriarch Risha tends to your wounds." As the words left her, Aria's fingers gently stroked Rikke's head, gently dragging her nails through the thick platinum locks of hair.

Rikke turned her head towards towards her left slowly and watched as the red and blue head dresses of one of the tribes many matriarchs moved with a clam flow of motion. Her vision blurred slightly as she lazily tried to focus on the features of the sixty year old woman. Rikke closed her eyes and turned her head away from the woman working on treating her injury. She struggled to let out more than a whisper as she choked out a sorrowful apology "Mama, papa, forgive me..I…" she took a sharp inhale as she found herself short of breath. An elder voice softly barked at her from her left side.

"Silly girl, you need not apologize, at least not yet." Risha's voice came with across with a "matter of fact" tone it was oddly comforting. "You still have your life and if you keep from straining too much, you will for many seasons to come." The old woman chuckled as she looked up to the girl's parents, mostly to Aria "She's hurt bad, but the arrow head took more bone than it did anything else. Air fills her chest making it difficult to breathe." She gently moved a hand to Rikke's left wrist and gave it a firm squeeze. "She'll make it, the great mother blesses her with the good fortune that the arrow did not pierce her lung."

Rikke felt her mother's hands tremble as she spoke in a choked voice. "Thank you moth...Matriarch." she turned her gaze upto Quinn as he came to give his mate a firm hug his hands cleared his cheeks of tears with all the subterfuge of a squawking goose. Aria turned down to her daughter and stoked her cheek, as she did this, Rikke could not hold back the urge to shed tears. Rikke knew if she had only listened to her guide, she would not have suffered the injury in the first place and caused her family any sort of grief. Aria gently lowered herself and pressed her cheek to her daughter's "Shhh..it's okay glowfly, it's okay." She softly kissed Rikke's cheek and cooed soft the soft sounds one might expect from a mother when reassuring their injured child.

Rikke's only response was a soft sob "Mama…."

A near month removed, Rikke eased herself down into the cloudy waters of the geothermal spring just shy of the sacred caverns of the Mother's womb. She gingerly lowered herself into the steaming pool. Moving slowly due to the warmth of the pools themselves, but the pain that still burnt into her side from her injury. Matriarch Risha had stitched the wound closed only a few weeks ago and even everyday movements that caused her her to pull against them caused great pain. Rikke relaxed as she lowered her rear end into the water and slowly submerged herself all the way up to her neck and resting herself upon the smooth rocks placed in the pool for one to sit upon. A long sigh came from her lips as she turned her attention to the various other occupants of the hot springs.

A gaggle of others sat within other pools, wrapped in woven quilts while they sat upon wooden benches and conversed with one another by torch and candle light. Rikke smiled a bit as she watched Nora Mothers and Grandmothers chat and laugh with one another as younger Nora girls ran about in cloth tunics. Rikke sat back and slowly let herself slip under the water's surface for a brief moment before coming up with her head fully tilted back, letting the long strands of nearly white hair cascade back away from her forehead and down the back of her skull. She settled on the rock and lifted her right arm up onto the lip of the pool. She closed her eyes for a short while, taking in the sounds of her tribe's mothers and grandmothers speak about Nora life as they always had. This familiarity only worked to put Rikke even more at ease as she rested.

With the time to reflect as she soaked, her thoughts were hard to pull away from the events of the past month. In the first few nights that followed her injury, Rikke had found it nearly impossible to keep herself awake for any lengthy span of time. Rikke had suspected that the salves and elixirs Matriarch Risha had been providing were partly to blame. As the days wore on, her condition slowly improved. Within two weeks she was able to sit up and take food without it being fed to her in a manner similar to a mother bird feeding her young. That fact alone had Rikke in better spirits, the methods were not ideal, but suited her needs at the time. All the same, the thought of her mother chewing her food for her was nothing if not embarrassing. The thoughts of leaving such notions behind her made it far easier to focus on her recovery and her return to her training.

Her thoughts on the prospects of a return back to the hunt were suddenly halted as she looked up as a lean figure pulled a woven quilt off her body and slipped into the pool without much fanfare. Rikke turned her head away as the woman made her way in. There was no interest in modesty as she turned her head away, it was more one of shame. The figure belonged to Tia a woman she'd hoped to have avoided until she was ready to get back to her training. The elder woman gave a snort to the young woman as she slipped over to the other side of the pool. "Afraid to look at me now girl?" Her tone was one meant to mock, that much was clear.

Rikke turned her gaze back slowly "I...I felt like I…" It wasn't hard to admit she was wrong, that part she knew that the fault was hers and hers alone. She found it difficult to face down the woman she had disobeyed and thusly put her family through a torturous three days. As she struggled, Tia it seemed found plenty of words to fill her silence.

"You feel like you've put your family through undue hardships yes?" Rikke must have looked astounded as Tia didn't seem to cease pounding the nail directly on the head. "You likely also feel as if you should have listened, done what you were told to do, in that way you might not have nearly killed yourself trying far too hard to prove you are brave, something to that effect yes?"

Rikke frowned as she looked Tia more directly in the eye this time. "I didn't want to leave any Nora of the tribe alone to fight those beasts. I wanted to offer a distraction so you.." she was cut off abruptly.

"You wanted to try and be a hero to live up to some lofty ideal of what a brave should be yes?" Tia smirked wickedly "And in doing so proved that you'd perhaps be better off following your mother's path and being a stitcher." A look of anger crossed Rikke's features but she didn't dare cut the woman off. "You disobeyed an order, something I and Jobe failed to bring up to the matriarchs. I might have understood your motives girl, if not for them being anything but motives."

Rikke leaned forwards and offered a snappy retort. "How can you say that, my only motive there was to help y.." Tia quickly shut down the notion with only a simple gesture and a direct look.

"Motives, no, you used this ideal to JUSTIFY your actions against my orders. You think I can't spot a seeker of glory? You think you're the first young hunter to challenge my orders when telling you to sit back let and elder handle it? I see young ones like you all the time, each season I train a new batch and each year, there is one who uses scripture or moral "codes" as justifications to seek glory and prestige." Rikke's heart sank slightly, a perspective that she had not yet considered and one that added a new layer guilt to her actions . "Ahhh, don't grind yourself down Rikke, I was not at all surprised by your actions, I expected them, it was your injury I did not." Tia sat back and offered a chuckle.

A wave of confusion rushed through Rikke's body, she gave her elder a perplexed look"You expected us to disobey?"

Tia leaned back against the edge of the spring "Do you honestly think it so odd? Consider it girl, you've been training with a bow since you were, ten perhaps? You've learned to track since you were twelve and to hunt since fourteen? You are coming up on your seventeenth season, by now you are sure of skill, your bow by this point is an extension of you, your bodies are now ripe with muscle and your minds sharp. Put in a situation where you fully get to put them to the test, you'll use any justification, whether you realize it or not."

The idea made a great deal of sense. Rikke lowered herself in the water abit as she thought about it. She had told herself that she had to defend her tribesman and yet as she thought about it now, the words she had snapped off at Jobe seemed so suddenly hollow. "I…" she felt the guilt in the pit of her stomach. "I had never considered….you're right."

Tia moved across the pool and caught the girl's chin to lift her gaze, forcing Rikke to look her in the eye "Then you are learning girl and a setback this may be, you are still someone I wish to teach" A look of adoration came across the elder woman's features. "While you may not be able to yet join Jobe and I outside the village, I will have you visit me in my lodge every evening and you will hone your mind and teach you what I can about the machine beasts until you are healed."

Rikke felt a great sense of pride well up in her, emotion threatened to get the better of her and caused her to swallow hard as she simply nodded "I'm honored Tia, thank you, thank you so much."


	4. Chapter 3 The foundations of a Brave

The painful snaps of tall foliage whipped against Rikke's pale cheeks as she powered through the dense underbrush. Her lungs burnt as the cool air being choked down her windpipe came in long ragged breaths. Her loud grunts came past her lips as she listened to the sound of four metal legs snapping through the underbrush a few meters behind her. She didn't bother to turn around, she knew these beasts well enough that as long as they remained close, they would not resort to a ranged attack. As her muscles began to fatigue, the tinge of pain began to creep into her side once again, even with two years passed since her injury and yet at times it was still a stitch that caused her some discomfort, a constant reminder of her blunder years ago as fledgling hunter.

She grunted and thrusted her left arm out, as if to pull the building cramp in her side straight out of her body all while she maintained the full bore sprint. She curled her lips back as the chattering calls of the two watchers behind her had gotten a bit closer than she would have liked, if one decided to leap at her now to tackle her, she would have been well within its reach to do so. Their malice filled calls began to build behind her, this sound clued Rikke as to what it's next move it was planning. She waited until the building call came to its peak and threw herself into rolling tumble. As she did, the impact of the watchers body was felt as bits of dirt flew up only a meter or so behind her. Even in her artful roll, Rikke posted up from a four point stance and lunged forwards again as the sensation of the watcher's long tail narrowly missing her backside came in the form of a large pocket of wind that rolled across her back. She moved back into a sprint as the second watcher lept over it's companion and continued its pursuit.

As the first watcher rolled onto its feet the second rattled out an angered call as it started to close the gap between itself and Rikke. The blonde haired Nora let out a loud whistle as she felt the muscles in legs start to ache with cramps. Her endurance had now reached its limits. She had led the pair of watchers away from the herd of grazers, Jobe, Tia and several other Braves and soon to be braves had taken on the duty of taking down the herd for resources. Her part had been discussed between the fledgling Braves on just how they would work as a unit to take down their prey. The plan had been simple with only three layers to its complexity. A duo of hunters would lure away the watchers and deal with them as they saw fit. The three elder braves would drive the herd towards a valley where a log trap sat in waiting, the four remaining young hunters would then pick off any surviving grazers in any manner they deemed best. Rikke's part was now in its final stages, she huffed and grimaced as her legs began to ache to the point where she was stumbling through the underbrush of an extremely overgrown grove of trees. She huffed out as she forced herself up an incline on her hands and feet shouting "Lem!"

As the light of the Western sun became visible, Rikke took in one last deep gulp of air and willed her legs past the fatigue. Her right arm pulled at the climbing hook from waist, her eyes focused on the treeline that allowed the sun to shine through. She threw out both of her arms, filling the path she had cut behind her through the brush to be cast in shadow, only the dual crimson glow of the watcher's oculi cast light into the rattling plant life. Rikke closed her eyes and counted in her head, _3….2…._ And tossed her hook out to her right as she leapt forwards, twisting her body about as she broke through the trees. Her eyes focused on the second watcher as it came sliding to a stop just at the edge of the ridge, nearly throwing itself down to halt its movements, a great deal of soil, rocks and other debris rolled over the cliff face. Rikke's heart might have sank then and there, thankfully the first watcher's efforts to slow itself were entirely in vain as it crashed into its counterpart knocking the second off its feet, sending both toppling over the edge.

Rikke's eyes turned to what was now her left, desperate to see if her partner had followed through on her end of the plan. She followed the unwinding bundle of rope from her hip up towards the ridge as she began her descent. The line went taught, Rikke shifted her weight as the line pulled on her hips, transferring the motion into more of a swing rather than an abrupt stop. Her eyes lingered down on the pair of falling watchers, watching as they both smashed into the rocks below letting out a pair of two bright flashes and puffs of white smoke as they hit. Rikke let out the breath she had taken with a long sigh and waited as slowly she was pulled upwards by the climbing rope. Rikke turned around and began to aid the person pulling on the climbing rope, opting to climb the last five meters herself. As she reached the edge a slender hand reached out for hers. Rikke grasped the hand and with the effort of two individuals, Rikke climbed back over the edge and collapsed on the area of fresh soil the two watchers had cut in their attempts to keep from tumbling. Rolling onto her back, Rikke gasped for air and closed her eyes. "Lem….you were supposed to…..WHISTLE!"

Having worked up a good sweat she lingered on the cool soil for a moment to collect herself. She slowly sat up and took two cleansing breaths and looked over at the smaller woman sitting beside her. Lem was a dark haired woman with naturally narrow eyes and a fair complexion much like Rikke's. Rikke had known her to be nearly eighteen years at the point, nearly ready for the upcoming proving just as she was. Lem offered a smirk and bit of a chuckle as she gestured towards the edge of the cliff and the mess below. She raised a brow and shrugged.

Rikke huffed "I'm not arguing results, but if not for blind faith that might have been a disaster."

Lem quirked a brow at Rikke and stood up, tossed the climbing hook back to it's owner with a bit of snicker through her nose. The smaller woman offered out her arm with a confident smile upon her face. Rikke sighed and took the arm as she rose to her feet. Even if response to signal Rikke had been botched, Lem had been right where she was meant to be and executed the plan to perfection. The duo began a slow march back towards the ambush site, both women were exhausted by the looks of it, a bit of a reprieve was obviously needed.

"I wonder if the ambush went as well as our diversion?" Rikke asked, as she pulled a water skin from her hip and unscrewed its top, pouring the fresh water into her mouth.

Lem responded with a tap to the talisman hanging from her neck. A boar's tusk with an engraved symbol of heritage carved through to the otherside.

Rikke didn't have to look at the symbol on the talisman to understand. The small woman called attention to the fact that Tia was overseeing the other part of the ambush on the herd, the mark of heritage belonging to Tia's line. The plan itself had been drawn up by Jobe and it made her wonder, just how well his part was going. "I hope Jobe's ambush goes off without a hitch, it'd be a shame now for someone to be injured." Rikke sighed and shook her head laughing off the notion "but he's no bung head, maybe I shouldn't worry so much." Rikke said as Lem nodded in agreement. She handed over the skin to Lem who took it without hesitation. Rikke used this moment to slowly roll her climbing line back up.

Lem took a long drink from the skin before handing it back, letting out a huff and nodded with a deep _mhmm_ from within her throat. As Rikke took the skin back and hooked the climbing line back to her hip she took another drink and observed Lem as the two walked. She donned the standard tunics of the Nora, her cuirass had been crafted from the remains of a scrapper. Lem had a skilled hand as a stitcher, she had taken the time to collect enough teeth from a scrapper's grinder to stitch in a scale pattern to her cuirass. The dark metal worked its way up under the white plates that curved over her chest, with no armored pauldrons to speak of, her shoulders were covered more by the long multi-colored feathers that surrounded the collar itself, covered only by her sky blue scarf. It had given her the nickname, one that Lem didn't seem to take issue with. Rikke reached on and pat the smaller woman on the back with a smile.

"Thanks Little Sparrow." Rikke offered a thankful smile and began to quicken her pace. "C'mon, let's hurry to meet up with the others."

The scent of burnt metal filled Rikke's nose as she and Lem followed the plume of smoke rising from the ambush site. Already the sounds of jovial conversation were audible as they closed the distance with a slow paced jog. As the duo came upon the ravine where the trail narrowed, a number of logs left a mess of tangled mechanical body parts sprouting up from the pile like weeds in a garden. Rikke took care as she traversed the pile onto the opposite side and looked over the figures of fallen grazers, strewn about, some with spears and arrows still lodged into their metal bodies. Rikke smiled as she looked over to Lem. "I see the plan worked." Lem offered a friendly nod of approval as she crouched down to inspect one of the large earth tending machines who oculus had been pierced by a well placed arrow.

As they inspected the kill site a voice came across the laughter and jovial tones that rattled off around them. "Step one, know your prey. Step two know yourself. Step three know your comrades" the voice of Rikke's guide, Tia came across clear as day as casual moved through the wreckage as gracefully as a dancer might.

Rikke smiled as she turned to greet her elder, standing aside to allow Lem unfettered access to her mother. Rikke's smile became warm as two embraced and the doting mother licked her own thumb to clear some of the grime from Lem's cheek. Rikke cleared her throat "Step four, know your terrain, know these four things will be the foundation of any proper plan a hunter.." she was cut off as Tia placed an arm around Lem's shoulder.

"Soon a brave." Tia smiled at Rikke "Your proving is in but a few days, it is time to put the hunter aside for now and start to view yourself as a brave, if not in name, then in training."

Rikke chuckled "the foundation of any proper plan a brave will use in the wilds." This change in verbiage was enough to garner a nod of approval from Tia. "So Jobe's plan worked, I hardly see a grazer corpse that made it past here."

Tia nodded "Yes, it was an astute call in his part. He knew the area well, I was a bit surprised he remembered the log trap that had been set up here."

Rikke smiled "He was one of the hunters who helped to set it up last season. Back when the bellowback's had wandered into the cradle." she looked at the logs and shrugged "They never made it this far, but given the heavy tree cover, Jobe's father knew they'd use the ravine rather than get caught up in all the foliage."

Tia's approval when from a simple nod to a look of proud astonishment "Color me impressed."

Rikke looked at Lem for a moment who seemed to beam up at her mother, she turned her head a bit to take that moment to survey a bit more. Speaking over her shoulder she asked "Speaking of that Bung, where is Jobe?"

Tia ruffled Lem's hair and pointed to the high hill that looked over the ravine. "Up there, I think he's doing a final count, the boy loves his numbers." Rikke chuckled in response.

"He does, that he does." She said as she started to move across the log she was standing upon. She hopped down and began to make her way towards the hill, her eyes moving between various young, soon to be hunters, who were stripping the grazers of their useful parts. She saw all her comrades, young hunters such as herself who were all about to join her on the final trial to becoming a brave. Trepidation seemed to flow into her otherwise confident thoughts and caused her climb to where her friend Jobe stood. For the time of the proving, all of these individuals would be rivals, at least for those that wished to compete for the High Matriarch's boon. She frowned as she moved up the grassy knoll and cleared her throat as she gave Jobe a smirk for when he turned. "The fruits of your labor." She said as she moved over to him and place a hand on his shoulder. "Got some time to spare from your counting to talk to your friend?"

Jobe turned around, his smirk mimicked hers perfectly "I think I could, for a friend at least."


End file.
